


The Masked Children

by Silver_Melody



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures
Genre: Abuse, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blue is the Female, Child Neglect, Green is the Male, Kidnapping, Language Barrier, Manipulation, Mild Language Barrier, Moon is related to the Berlitz, Multi, On Hiatus, PUTING EVEN MORE OFF, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, Trapped, Want to finish at least two stories before going here again, dont @ me, will take awhile
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 08:22:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23348386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Melody/pseuds/Silver_Melody
Summary: We all know how Blue and Silver escaped the Masked Man, but what if he didn't stop there? What if he replaced them with other kids? What if they were the future Dexholders?Hiatus Untill some time- Reason? School and to many open stories I'm working on (and still planning this story since I only planed to chapter 9, I want to make sure its perfect)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue: Starting Hand

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, how is everyone! I hope ya'll are well especially considering what's happening in the world today but that's not what this is about.
> 
> this is the first story I've ever written and put out there. First on ff.net then Wattpad and nowhere. Personally, I'm just putting it here now as I like this site better but I won't stop putting on the other sites. But while I put this story here as well I'm just going to fix some mistakes and edit the story as I go from here. 
> 
> For those that have read my story before from the other sits and found it here again will surprise! Sorry for like the two-month wait for the next chapter but that will come soon. I have the other chapter planned for the 20th soon during this month.
> 
> Anyways here's the info that you might want to keep in mind during the story and have a good read!
> 
> Ages:  
> Silver-6  
> Blue-9  
> Will-12  
> Karen-15  
> Sham-18  
> Carl-21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time.

Some people say we have three mask

One for those to glimpse at and turn back right away

One for those we care for and protect their love ones

And one for the true self that is only them

But ‘we’ are different

One for the fear we are taught to mark on others

One for pretend so that we can lure those in a false smile

And one for ‘us’

We are not allowed to have a mask of 

‘true self’

So ‘we’ show ‘us’

Because ‘we’ are not allowed

‘We’ are an abomination to humanity

Because ‘we’ are masked

For ‘we’ have nothing underneath but sins and scars

The mask we lay upon ‘ourselves’ stop us

It contains ‘us’

It controls ‘us’

All because of them...

~{*}~

“Someone has escaped!”

The shout, no, the warning made the two small figures dash even faster into the shadows, panic and adrenaline pushing them to do so. As soon as they did they were lucky when a flash of light passed behind them, not even a foot between them before it searched the opposite way. By then the taller one of the two figures pulled the smaller one into a group of bushes and crouched to hide without getting caught. Both were soon met with another pair of even smaller shadows, their Pokemon, as they two crouched down alongside their trainers.

The taller figure, a small brunette girl by the looks of her dress and long loose hair, turned to the smaller figure. “Silver,” she whispered, a calm tone with the underlining of worry in it. “Are you okay?”

The smaller figure, a little redhead boy but could easily be mistaken by his long waist length hair as a girl, was struggling to stop shaking with hard labor deep sounding breaths and shivering small hands gripping on his pants. Sneasel, the boy’s partner Pokemon, chirped worriedly at his trainer before laying a clawed hand on the boy’s shoulder.

Seeing this, the brunette also inched closer to examine him for any injuries. Luckily the only thing that seemed to bother him so much was his mask, a mask that she had seen so many times before.

Shaking her head to get that thought out of her head the girl reached out her hand before stopping and she spoke in a soft tone. “Silver, today is our only chance to run away. We can finally leave.”

The boy nodded but could not say anything with his labor breath.

“So that's why,” she continued her soft tone, gentle and warm for only his ears as she reached out and hovered her hand over the white round object in question. “Let me try to get this mask off. Before we can escape. It would be much easier to hide without it you know.”

 _‘We can finally take our mask off_ ’ was left unsaid.

The boy, Silver paused, the sicking and unallowed action that was placed upon them ever since they were taken hovered over them with tons of weight. Ever since either of them had met the Masked Man not once have they been able to take off the plastic face mask that they share with four others. A mask that was supposed to be simple and harmless with painted black eyes and a v-like smile was a living nightmare for them. It was the one thing that made it so that they were not leaving, a chain and leash that they had permanently on their face. In truth they can take off the mask, it was proven that they ate or bathed or slept the night. The mask was easy to take off, a simple tug and it was off. But the thing was that if either of them were to take it off when necessary then they would have been punished. 

Neither of them tried to test what the punishment was but with the giggling from clown and hum from the woman in their own respective mask made them know it would not be good. And they have been well on keeping that promise, to never take off the mask unless needed to. But now… was it needed? 

Silver hovered a hand over his own mask.

They were leaving, they were escaping. They weren’t going to go back. If what his big sister said was true then they wouldn’t _need_ the mask anymore. They could be normal. They could be free. They could - no - _he_ could see _her_ face.

That was more than enough for him to nod in his sister's direction.

That was enough for the girl to smile behind her mask as she placed both of her gloved white hands over the mask. She waited a moment, waiting patiently before her own little brother’s small gloved black hands moved from his mask to his sister.

A warm flower blossomed and an icy wind chilled throughout her body when she realized what they were doing. 

They would no longer have to wear their mask. 

They would be free. 

Or could be, when they leave. Not if but when. They will leave. They will be free.

“Ready?” she whispered tenderly, the softness of a dear sibling used to comfort their own. When he nodded they both pulled at the same time and slide off the mask from one another. Blue eyes barely managed to meet crimson orbs when a flash of light speeded their way.

Quickly the girl moved before her brother and pulled them both down. In the corner of her eye, she could see both of their Pokemon following suite with their actions.

Neither of them moved, not willing to breathe until the bright flash of light was gone.

They both sighed their relief in sinc. 

And that's when they both looked up to each other and faced the person they called ‘family’ for the first time. 

Blue was in adornment. Her first thought when she saw her little brother's face was how cute he was. A small italian nose, pale like skin that was paired with long cherry red hair that covered over his shiny silver eyes and soft chubby cheeks that she couldn’t help but see the small flush of his cheeks against pale skin. If Blue was to discribber the look of her now newly faced reviled baby brother she couldn’t help but think of the story books she used to read about, one of a girl with hair dark as night and skin as pale as snow. He was what she liked to call a red snow white.

Silver on the other hand was in awe. To him, his sister was like the moon. Chocolate brown hair and blue crystal eyes. She had a look of warm and Silver can help but feel safe and loved. Then he realized what he was thinking and blushed in embarrassment as he looked down timidly to his open staring.

Blue cooed at him as she giggled and placed her hands to gently hold on to her brother's face. ”So this is what you look like…,” she whispered in awe and that made Silver only blush even harder. Smiling at her sweet baby brother she moved to grab his hand and waited for him to look back at her. Once he did she hardened her fituirease to stress out her next words. ”We must hurry, we don’t have that much time left.”

Silver hardens his own face into one of determination as well and nods. 

Blue, despite the circumstances, fought to try not to smile so much at her adorable brother.

Letting go and reaching to go through her pockets, Silver watched and waited to see what his big sister was looking for when she made a sound of triumph. As she pulled out her hand he could see it was a folded up paper of sorts, yellow from age and tiny tears here and there around the rim. Unfolding it, Blue spreaded the paper out onto the overgrown grass before tracing the paper with her hands. It was then that Silver realized it was a map.

How long did she have this for it to look that old and worn out? How long has she looked over this map and stayed up on sleepless nights just to find a way to escape? How hard was it for her to hide and carry this burden while Silver remain clueless?

The red-head boy swallowed, his throat becoming incredibly dry. Felling a clawed hand on his shoulder Silver tried to relax into and think of thin snow, pink balloons, and crystal blue eyes. Slowly, he started to calm down.

Blue must have found what she was looking for when she made a small ‘ah-ha!’ before looking right up at him. Thankfully he was already unwinded so he was relieved to see that his sister didn’t see anything wrong when she started to explain. “So after checking the routes again I found what we should do from here.” Placing her finger at the edge of the map, one relatively close to the border, she continued. “Right now we are here. But the thing is since they know we are escaping they most likely had some psychic Pokemon create a barrier surrounding this place from above. But-” she grinned mischievously. “There is still one way of getting around it.”

Both Silver and Sneasel crooked their heads. Jigglypuff simply giggled.

Amazed by both trainer and Pokemon’s reactions that were so similar to each other, Blue moved to grab at the ground behind her.

Only to make everyone but her jump by the metallic thud that reached their ears. It was only until Blue moved that they all realized what she just moved. It was the entry to the sewers. Blue had the satisfaction of seeing her little brother's eyes lit up in awe and amazement.

She wanted to see him do that more. 

“Come on then,” she made a move to lift her body before having felt a somewhat solid grounding on metal bars under her feet. Knowing it was the ladder she was stepping on her waved over to the other three. “Hurry up! It’s an underground passageway. If we hurry we might not run into anyone from here on out.”

Jigglypuff, Blue’s loyal companion, let out a cry of excitement as she floated down after her trainer. Seeing this Silver moved closer to the hole in the ground, making Blue nod as she started to climb down as well. The clanking noises of the metal ladder made Blue cringe from the sound but continued on her way down. Once they all were safely on the ground Blue made way to a door that they all noticed as they climbed down. Before Blue could open it however she paused before looking behind her at her brother and Pokemon. “After here I don’t know that much of the layout. I’m afraid we might get lost for a bit but there are multiple passageways to the outside.” Blue stopped as she gave a guilty look. “The underground route is too complex. But,” she paused. “There might be somewhere that we can go to.” Seeing the look of confliction on her brother's face she asked questions to ease his nerves. “Silver, do you trust me?”

No hesitation was on his face as he nodded his head.

Her heart strings pulled. 

“There they are.”

Both their hearts sank with dread. 

Not wasting a moment Blue grabbed a hold of Silver’s black gloved hand. Seeing the colors of pink and black in the corner of her eye she knew that their Pokemon were going to follow them.

They ran.

“Over there!”

They round a corner.

“Get them!”

They ran faster.

Yet it matters not when Blue leads them to a three-way path with two of them being blocked with the rest of the members of the Masked Children. Recognizing one of them, a woman that had perfectly cut orange hair, pointed at her when she realized that Blue was looking her way and purred proudly in a sweet twisted voice that dripped with venom. 

“Gotcha.”

Blue, at that moment realized three things. 

One: She never did see that face of the other Masked Children before.

Two: Sham had just seen her face.

Three: Silver was turning to look her way.

Panicking, Blue quickly turned around and at the same time grabbed a hold on to her little brother's face and buried him to be covered by her stomach. 

Not once have she seen their faces, not once have she seen even Silver’s face. But even she knew that if she were to go out to hide and get away then she had to make sure that they won’t get recognized, that they don’t get taken away. For her it was easy to hide, brown hair was common enough for her to hide her eyes. It would be easy for her to change her apprentice or find sunglasses to cover them. But Silver was different. Not once have she seen someone else with red hair, not once have she seen someone with silver eyes and sharp nose like her little brother from the other grunts. Silver was different, and difference was a bad thing to have if you are on the run.

So even if Sham now has a general picture of her face she can’t have her recognize Silver more than the fact his hair is red. 

“Don’t let them see your face,” she whispered fiercely when she saw the questions bewilderment in her brother's gaze. When Silver nodded and moved his free hand to cover his face as much as possible Blue moved to lead to a new path.

Unfortunately as they spent the last few precious seconds to cover and hide her brother's identity she left an opening for the rest of the Masked Children to call out their own signature Pokemon. Carl, a man that is always seen with Sham, sent out his Houndour with a defying roar. Sham had already made a move with Meowth as it hopped it’s way towards them. Will and Karen, two teenages that have matching lace and lavender hair, each called out a small Natu and Eevee respectively. 

They don’t have enough time.

”Meowth, scratch!” 

Run.

“Houndour, ember!” 

Run!

“Natu, psychic!” 

RUN!

“Eevee, bite!”

**RUN!!!**

The calls of different attacks only made both children to force their feet to push even farther. The sound of Pokemon cries and small banges of explosions on metal scareedthem to move without looking back. Turning just in time to another passage, Blue briefly missed the fangs of bite before Jigglypuff sent the small Eevee back with a double slap. Her heart stopped and she faltered with a twist of her ankle as she reached to grab her partner before the flying Natu could hit her Pokemon with it’s beam attack. 

Silver was not faring any better than his sister. His legs hurt and his breathing is too hard and everything is **burning**. He felt nothing behind him but a cry from Sneasel and a thump followed right behind made his heart beat even faster. Trying not to let the tears escape from his eyes he refuses to lift his hand from his face, refusing to let the others see what they easily identify as his face when they escape and they try to find them. 

But that ended up being a mistake. 

No one had enough time to realize what was happening. Eevee was down, already getting up. Natu was flying again and Meowth was having a claw fight with Sneasel. All of their Pokemon were battling or getting up to attack again, all but one.

An ember burned at Silver’s leg.

Silver cried out, surprised rather than in pain but that was quickly changed as Silver took another step. 

His leg **_BURNED!_ **

And Blue?

Blue was horrified. 

“Silver!”

She wanted to stop, she needed to stop - her brother was in pain! - but she can’t. She can’t stop. If she stops then it was all for nothing. Everything would be for nothing.

A sob was reaching to rip her into pieces as she listened to the sound of her brothers closing off wipers and cries. Both children didn’t stop, refusing to stop. Both learning to grind their teeth in pain, Silver from his leg and Blue for her brother’s sake, refusing to slow down and go back to the cage they lived through their life. 

That was when Blue saw a loose pipe.

And all thoughts flew to the one prayer she repeated in her head as they ran closer and closer to the unhinge pipe in their way. 

_‘Please Jirachi…. Please grant me my wish. Please me this one wish to escape from here.’_

Prayer on repeat she reached out with her right hand and grabbed onto the cold rusted pipe.

And she almost cried.

She has it, the pipe broke loose and was now in her hand as they ran. 

Without another thought she rammed the pipe into the other pipes around her.

Steam exploded all around them.

Everything stopped.

Then there was coughing.

Waving a hand over her mask, trying not to let the steam from entering and infecting her mask so that she could not breathe that well, Sham scanned the area to see where the brats escaped to but saw nothing. A grow was already coming to escape her lips when she saw shadowy figures up head to her left. The grow quickly became a grin of excitement, excitement to please her master, she called out to the rest of the masked with a small amount of smug in her tone. “Hurry it up! Unlike the rest of you, I’ve had the eye sight to at least see where they went. Keep or get left behind.”

Carl for his part said nothing but followed. Will only proceed to hum, already used to Sham’s shape razor words. Karen though wrinkled her nose in disguise before muttering under her breath with a lot of unwillingness to follow the carrot head.

But then Karen’s mood brightened right up when she saw where they were.

Instead of a path that led to the escapists they were led off to a wall of pink. No door way, no other path, no children.

‘ _Oh_ ,’ Karen grinned. 

“A dead end,” Karen gave off a mocking gasp, the situation there is all too amusing for her not to rub it in. “I thought for sure you said you saw them come this way. Are your eyes alright? Your eye sight must have been really bad for you to begin seeing things this far off.”

Sham sharply turned to Karen, bloodlust surrounding her.

Will placed both hands behind his neck, wishing he had popcorn. “Ren is right, Carrot. Are you sure they head this way? Seems like a dead end to me.”

Sham’s nails dug into her palm before she turned to scream at the two younger Masked Children, rage blinding her from her current mission. Before she could do anything Carl placed a hand over the outraged woman before she used her own claws to attack anyone else. 

“Come. We still have to look. Master won’t be pleased if we come empty handed.”

There was a seamlessly sound echo or a crack before Sham ripped her arm away from Carl’s grasp. Saying nothing she stomped off with the sound of her heels making small dents on the metal floor. Seeing this Carl followed silently, Will giggled gleefully, and Karen having a self-satisfied smirk as she walked away from the pink wall. 

Nothing moved and no one made a sound a full minute before the pink wall started to deflate. The pink wall slowly shaped back to its original shape of a soft round balloon before Jigglypuff jumped in joy to its trainer, she cried with joy to see her work done. 

Blue hugged her Pokemon in relief, feeling her heart slowing down from that near death situation she got them into. Whipping away the sweat that was rolling down her cheeks silently thanked her Pokemon with a kiss. With that done she looked over to her brother.

And her heart broke.

Sitting on the floor was a heaving Silver, his injured leg sticking out as Sneasel used its powers to create a thin sheet of ice to cover over the burn. The burn wasn’t as bad but still as worrying. His pants had a small hole that was the size of her fist with danged burned out cloth surrounding the small degree burn, already pink and the waft of burnt flesh reached her nose.

She held in a gag, not knowing when her next meal will be. Pushing back the bile in her throat she moved to her brother's side before raising a hand to thumb over his tears.

Shiny silver eyes looked her way, pleading and in pain. 

Oh how she wanted to sob but she held it in. Silver needed her and she needed him. She can’t have him breaking now.

“Silver,” she called him to catch her brother’s attention. “Silver sweetie I’m going to carry you ok? I need for you to hold on to my shoulders and wrap your legs around my waist. Can you do that?”

Silver let out a broken sob before nodding a positive. Trying to keep her expression from breaking she turned around and faced her back to her brother. It took a second but small gloved hands circled around her neck before she felt two short legs coming to wrap around her hips. Using her hands to hold up her brother's legs, Blue roses from her original positions to stand. Silver yipped in surprised but she was relieved when he no longer cried out in pain. 

Doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel any less guilty. 

“We’re going to be safe,” she said as she walked. “Do you know why? Because I think I can hear wild Hoothoot.”

She felt Silver move his head a bit before hiding again, his grip tighten around her.

She grip back tighter.

Silence greeted them as Blue walked, echoes of dull metal and dangerous shadows. No one spoke and none of their parenter Pokemon made a move to speak either. Eerie tension was thick with every step they took. Darkness filled every corner but they did not stop. They can’t not stop.

Then they found a room. 

And the Masked Man’s shadow.

Gasping Blue almost tripped over her feet as she was quick to back up. Silver made an odd choking sound as he gripped on tighter. Sneasel and Jigglypuff acted fast, quickly coming to cover and come in front of their trainers.

For more than a couple of moments, time stopped. 

Then Blue really saw what was in front of them.

“Uh,” she tried to say, her voice slightly shaky. “I-It’s fine Silver. Look. It’s only ice.”

Silver, his quivering body not stopping but his head turned up slightly, daring himself to look up. 

“It’s just ice,” Blue whispered just as shakily. “It’s just ice.”

And she was right. In front of them was not a man but a statue of ice. The Masked Man stared down at them, his ice mask just as grim and unsettling as ways. Cape blew, the ice made into curves and swirls with the cloth. But what made it more scary was what the cape had hidden. Wrapped around him was them, carvings of the Masked Children. Mask over their faces, hair loose and winded, bodies face every direction possible. All of them trapped and isolated, all unable to get out.

A fearful sight indeed.

“See Sily.” Blue moved her hand forward, a show of bravery as she stepped forward and placed her hand on a sculpture. The Silver sculpture. “It’s just ice sculptures. Sculptures of us…”

As her voice faded her eyes lingered. Turning away from the sight of her brother of ice she made a swep of the room. It wasn’t until she was half way done did she pause. 

”This must be that man's room.”

Instantly Silver raised his head in panic and looked around the room frantically. Nothing about this room made a show of this being the man’s room but the more he looked the more he realized that this wasn’t an empty room with ice. Inside it had cases and drawers, shelves filled trinkets, open books and maps on walls. It was the more that he looked that he thought how could this not be a room. The only thing missing was a bed but a curtain from the left made him shiver in fear. Someone might be close by. He might be here.

“Blue,”Silver tried to grab the attention of his sister. “We don't know where he's hiding. He could be nearby.”

‘ _Yeah,_ ’ Blue thought as she eyed the same curtain as Silver. ‘ _Very near indeed._ ’

“Don’t worry,” she said instead. “He can’t move a limb today. That man is always weak once every few months you know. So if I timed this right then he shouldn’t be able to move even a little."

Uncertainty crossed over the little boy's face as he scrunched up his nose. “Really?”

“Really.” She confirmed. 

~{*}~

Every full moon, when its beams of light shine, the Ilex forest shrine.

Time is stopped, the clock is always moving, its keeper flies.

Heavenly glow, moon night time, time of the day he lost.

~{*}~

_He didn't know_ …

Blue made a move to get around the tall ice sculpture when something caught her eye. Realizing what it is, her eyes widened before she made a mad dash towards them. Silver yelped in surprise, his sister ignoring his dilemma from behind as she stopped in front of a case.

In that case were two very beautiful feathers.

Silver was enchanted instantly. Shimmering in gold and silver, colors bright and texture looking softer then his own hair he awed at the feathers. One that glows and the other that sparkles, one of white and the other giving off a rainbow of colors. Each a sight to behold but together they are breathtaking.

Blue looked thoughtful, a knowing look in her eye as she reached out for the feathers. Silver held his breath, worried what might happen if they touched anything in the room. No one moved as Blue grabbed the two feathers. Once she placed them in her pocket she turned her head to look at her brother and gave off a cheeky grin. “We can’t just go empty handed you know. Got to have something to show are achievements.”

Silver released his breath and Blue giggled. Winking at him she made sure her hold on her brother was steady before walking to a door, a door which would lead to freedom. 

_She didn't know_ …

Both siblings, family in everything but blood, gazed at the door longly. The world seemed to slow down for them as Blue reached the door handle. Twisting her hand the soft tall tale sound of a click ringed loud in their ears. With one soft pull the door cracked open.

 _They didn't know_ …

Moonlight escaped the crack and covered the room. No one dared to look back, no one dared to break this spell. Pulling more and more the door was wide open, a forest straight ahead and freedom in sight. Shaking feet moved and the crunch of dirt was soft under her boots.

‘ _We did it,_ ’ Blue teared. Taking a deep breath she made a running start, a smile wide on her face as Silver laughed. Jigglypuff twisted in the air while Sneasel ran further ahead on all fours. Looking up Blue can’t help but grin at the blue moon.

‘ _The outside world!’_

 _They didn't know_ … 

~{*}~

_A past was made._

_The future was changed._

_Time paused as he gazed at Arceus’ children._

_Humans are flawed but they are beings of their own faith._

_Days of darkness have extended._

_Blossoms of happiness are a great challenge to grow._

_The seed of life is planted._

_The clock has started_

_Tick tock tick_


	2. Chapter 1: In the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two wings, one vision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for Rubys last name, Kasumi. You see Ka- means blood, while Sumi- means pure of graceful. But if you were to separate that, Su- means jewel and Mi- means beautiful. So to make it clear, Kasumi means 'pure blood' or 'beautiful blood jewel', just like a ruby stone. I like to think that its "Beautiful blood jewel."
> 
> Red Spider Lily - poison, "flower of the heaven", used to plant in graves, mostly associacted with death

_Crack..._

_Crack..._

“Those two…”

_Crack._

“Have…”

_Crack..._

_Crack..._

“....Escaped.”

_Crack._

In the darkness of an almost barren room, the song of ice slowly being chipped away echoed around the walls. Nothing was there, only simply a desk and a bed. Simple but livable, as proven with the two occupants inside. One who was twisting around the sheets of the twin size bed was a Swinub. If looked at more closely you could see the outline of the small ice-type’s trainer, hidden in the shadows of the darkness. The trainer, an old man, the source of the sound of ice, stopped. 

His hands rest down onto his lap.

Silence, while calming, held nothing but deep sorrow and guilt. 

Closing his eyes, Pryce let his mind wander in thought. 

Sunset red, small body dressed in shades of black. A fast little thing, loyalty as his faults. Nothing but a shadow that could hide anywhere.

_Silver._

Hazelnut brown, fallen leaves and deep crystals. Smart, protective, and brave. Always an ear away from any new, a hand that would raise to those that dare to hurt what is hers.

_Blue._

His chest became heavy and cold. 

He was not blind nor a fool. He already knew that the youngest of the six were planning on escaping. Nothing but pride blinded him as he thought of the two trying to escape, after all they were only kids - children! No one was to ever escape the home he built, nor were they to come in. This home of his was shaped and planned at his design, to his image. Traps, corridors, barriers, dead ends, and even Pokemon posted all around the shadows in all corners. His children were never to leave unless he deems it so.

But that was the problem, they were his children. His children he raised and taught to better than all the rest, to be soldiers that always win, to survive. 

And survive they did. 

It was funny, poetic even. The one thing he taught was the thing used against him. Even at a young age he should have seen it, the signs and the shine in their eyes whenever he came near them. He could still remember the soft innocences they used to have, they **all** used to have before he took them in. 

Sweet soft children that learn to grow in this cage of his before flying away to the sky.

They were out there, in the outside world they only learned from memory and his teaching. They would live there was no doubt. He had taught them enough to survives, weather it be for battle, Pokemon, stealth in all terrainer of areas, or simply that of blinding in with the outside world so they do not drag attention to them he knew that without a doubt they would live.

Live away from here.

He was not surprised they escaped nor that they even plan to escape in the first place. He had hoped Silver would be too young that he would latch onto him and the other Masked with his very vast knowledge of the world. He had hoped that Blue would be too scared and sharken with her kidnapping to do anything but follow. That was proven as wrong as soon as he saw how quick Silver latched onto the new arrival, both shaking and hanging onto each other. 

They still hanged onto each other even when they escaped.

To be truthful it wasn’t even how dependent they were of each other or how weary they were of the rest. 

It was all in the way Blue’s eyes glowed.

Eye, he heard, was the window to one's soul. He always scoffed at the saying, wondering if that was true when no one came after him and arrested yet if eyes were truly a tall tale. Perhaps it might have been because he always had a mask on.

For when he first saw her eyes it was something else.

They were deep and understanding, far more than any child her age should. It might have been because of him, or before he even grabbed her, but her eyes were searching, always analyzing. It was always difficult to look her in the eye though, the mask always shadowed them and she always looked down. However when he did they always shine, not from fear or in awe but in a fierce challenge she refuses to lose.

He ignored it, but he always watched behind his back because of it. He would like to think he cracked her but he was only trying to deny it. She knows something.

He was right to watch his back.

His eyes were always following him. Whether it be from passing or when he bare his presence in front of her, she was alway watching. Her tales started to grow after months; twist of her fingers as if they desire to curl up, hums always fill the silence wherever she goes, questions she would ask for the littles things that he knew were not so innocent. 

She was planning something, a mastermind finding their next breakthrough. Or perhaps it was her break out. 

He wanted to think she was only a silly child. One that does not know a way to out smart him or find a way around him. He would like to think that and for a while he tricked himself into doing so. But even he could not last long.

She was planning on leaving. 

The question is: would he let her?

He didn’t know the answer so he looked away, not answering her but not stopping her to ask others. He never told her to be silent nor did he acknowledge the way she wanted to make a fist and clutch her hands tight. 

Silver was never a part of her plan at first, he realized. Always withdrawn, always skittish and small. A cornered animal if you will. It wasn’t until months ago that he saw the small changes. Hair always hiding the mask, fingers fidgeting, shoulders tight and very down.

It was a sign that they were close. 

He still said nothing.

And they left hardly an hour ago.

He let what belonged to him to leave on their one.

Belong to him?

“Fools.”

Fools….. Perhaps they were fools, but he was the the one to turn away from those fools.

Does this make him the bigger fool?

Others would have stopped them. Others would have punished them. Others would restrict their freedom. Others would not have let them go.

But then others would not feel something like cold ice and burning fire whenever he thought of them. 

This feeling… a forien yet so familiar. A ghost of a memory.

This was a feeling he knew all too well, it was a feeling he hated more than anything. 

He was so used to the cold he merely batted the feeling away with no another though. It was the mixture of warmth that he paused.

Warmth…

_Did you feel lonely like she did?_

“Were you lonely,” Pryce whispered. A secret only shared with his past and his present. “You should have cast those feelings aside a long time ago….”

‘Just like I have.’

_Liar._

Swinub was not a Pokemon that was associated with feelings, it was a Pokemon more fit for the amount of food it ate and how hard they were to take care of. However when a trainer has a strong enough bond with their Pokemon it is not a matter of whether they are known to understand or not, it is the bond that makes them so close to knowing one another.

And Swinub knew his master was sad even when he tried to forget it. His emotions were heavy, a dull blur that only he could see.

Pryce, oblivious to his Pokemon’s distress because of his own, he moved away from the sculpture he was working on.

The moonlight from the lone window of above shone through the room.

Ice sparkle, smiles soft and stretching in glee and fondness, a delicate craftsmanship that was only made by loving hands, a family made internally out of love. A delicate reality for many.

To him it was only a pipe dream. 

Pryce was centered in the piece, a wheelchair that held both him and Silver as they lean into one another with trust. Blue was down near the floor, a steady hand over his knee and a mischievous smile plasterer on her face. Will was sticking out with pride, a mid-way picture of him in a booming laugh as he hid his hands behind him. Sham was gentle and careful when her hands were placed over his wheelchair handles as she smiled with rare softness. To the right was Karen, hands on his shoulders to steady him and a look of caring that he knew she would always hide. Carl was the only one who stood a ways from the rest, still fitting the picture with a twitch of his lips to keep himself from laughing but was proven fruitless.

It was a picture of love and laughter, trust and kindness. A frame of his family. 

What could have been his family.

Pryce shook his head.

Why does he do this? Why make this statue? Why make this falsehood?

Why?

_You know the answer. You always wanted a family._

**_That’s why you let them go._ **

** _You felt guilty._ **

_~~**This was not the family you wanted.** ~~ _

_ L **a** _ ~~_p_ ra ~~ _s_ I ~~’ **m** \- ~~

Ignoring the words rattling in his mind that wished to be heard he moved his wheelchair, his real one that was not made out of ice like the one in front of him, to turn around toward the lone drawer near his bed. Pulling one of the cabinets open he grabbed for a folder and flipped it open.

A face far too young looked up at him.

He flipped to the next page. A girl with chestnut hair stared at him with green eyes.

He flipped another page. And another and another.

Pages and files were shown to him’ regions, backgrounds, skin tones, and different eye colors. All were children, all with potential he first looked for when he tried to find two more children to fit with his image of Masked Children. 

Replacements. Replacements over them. 

Something tugged inside of him but he didn’t want to acknowledge it, didn’t want to feel it.

They are to be soldiers for his own gain. Take, break, mold, submit. 

He stops. **  
**

He dropped his head in his hands, the files dropping to his lap, some on to the bed and others on the drawer.

What is he doing? Finding another child to take? What will happen then? Afterwards? Do the same thing over and over? How pathetic.

“Hopeless.”

His whisper was low, quiet and almost nonexistent. Yet most importantly it was heart broken. No one was there to hear it.

No one but his Swinub. Not wanting his master to be sad, he jumped onto the pile of paper that was on his lap, scattering them everywhere off onto the floor. Pryce jolted. 

“Wh-what are you doing?! Get off. You're going to make a mess of the floor.”

But Swinbu did not listen. Using his snout as a sorter he moved to flip the files off his master. He has to get rid of them, all of them! They were making his master sad so if he threw them all away then the master won’t be sad! But then he would only pick them up again. Oh, he knows. He could eat them!

Pryce on the other hand was trying hard to stop his Pokemon from throwing away all the files. What is he doing? Can’t he see he needs a distraction!? He needs this. Trying to stop the paper from falling off his lap the two had a battle of their own, one who was winning and the other who struggled to gather everything together.

There were only a few pages left. 

Barely grabbing two pages that were falling, Pryce went back to stare at his Pokemon and this time scowl at him because he can’t just start messing with his work whenever he likes, when his eye caught something.

Or someone.

Ruby eyes stare at him.

And then he remembered. 

~{*}~

He had ordered Delibride to attack with Blizzard and had successfully managed to somehow freeze the Celebi’s wings and they had broken off. His eyes lingered at the broken wing but all he could think about how close he was, how he finally had the one Pokemon needed in order to go back, to save them. 

He was finally done.

That was a mistake. 

Celebi, despite having lost the use of its wings it still used its powers in order to sore towards the shrine. He had no time to act before it disappeared in a portal of blue and pink, never to come out until the next full moon. 

He saw red.

How can this happen?! How could this HAPPEN?!?! He was so close! So close!! He had Celebi at the palm of his hand. How coils he let this happen?! How can he-

Breath, he tried to remind himself. Breath. It was no use trying to get frustrated over it. It’s done. There is still until next moon. Just. Breathe. 

Once he calmed down enough, enough so that his vision is no longer red tinted, he felt the bottom of his cape being tugged at. Looking down he saw that it was his new acquired partner, a small but helpful seeking Swinub. He felt the need to ignore the new recruit but he felt bad for the more he felt the tugging. Using the ice claw he made so that no one could ever find out who he was, he reached out to the small round Pokemon as an offering.

To his surprise instead of jumping onto his claw he instead dropped the remainder of the two broken wings on the thick ice.

Looking down he had not expected this, already forgetting the useless wings since they had significance to him other than the real prize in which was in the form of the Pokemon itself.

He looked around, watching, waiting.

There was no one there, no one but him and his Pokemon.

He moved his real arm to grasp one of the wings.

Then his whole world twisted in a dance of color.

Not understanding what was happening he twisted frantically all ways, turning to see where he was, to find something he recognized. Nothing, nothing but blurred in colors together. 

“Wh-what is this?!” He called out. No one answered his call. Well now he knows he's alone. Before he could do anything, something in front of him shifted, making him tense. Trying to back away but having no effect at all with the swirling mass he could only watch and stay still to see what was to happen.

The swirling mass became a mirror. 

He blinked behind the mask, not understanding what he was seeing.

And then it turned dark. The mirror, or what was a mirror, changed to a scene of a forest. Or sorts. Nothing moved and nothing happened at first, making him grow more and more anxitse. Before he could do anything however the bushed moved.

He tensed.

And a boy came running out. 

He froze, not knowing what to do when it looked like the boy was running towards him. 

He was young, how young he could not tell but young nevertheless. Scratches and tears filled ruby red eyes. He was breathing hard, most likely from the running he was doing, from what he did not know. Using an arm to wipe away his grow tears he made the white bandages around his head more more noticeable. 

He paused.

Why was this boy hurt?

He didn’t get an answer, nor did he get a chance to consider when teh image became a swirling mass once more.

Before he could do anything he heard the very clear voice of someone who was broken in more ways than one.

“Why daddy? WHY?!”

He could not respond nor did he understand those words. He didn have time either.

The space that shifted was once again clear and smooth. Nothing was like the last image. Where it was dark and cluttered with trees and shrubs this imagery was sometime in sundown. The sky was colored a peachy orange with a clean cut land. 

What centered around this image was a girl.

And those next to the girl.

Karen, he thought.

Karen was there, her mask off and dress trade in for something more warmer. His main question should be about the loss of her mask, it should be about why she was away in the first place but it was all stolen to the first thing that caught his attention. 

The girl, one of a splendid baby blue dress that shimmered with purple and white lace. Hair long and placed with bows of bright yellow holding her hair away. She was small, far smaller from the other little boy from before.

In fact she was so small that Karen was able to carry her.

Unconscious. 

He no longer understood. 

“Sorry Miss Berlitz.” Karen said, a soft undertone of guilt in her voice. “But we were asked to get you. I’ll make sure you won’t be like the last two that left us.”

“Ready?” A voice, one far from the image away, asked. 

Karen nodded. “Yeah.” she looked back down to the child. “I’m sorry. You will have someone with you just like the rest of us. I hope the red spider lily boy takes care of you like we do."

He said nothing as the swirling mass blank out of existence. 

Feathers of time show the events of time. 

He did not touch the other feather, encased it in ice.

~{*}~

Pryce did not move but he noticed that Swinub had also stopped, most likely from him not moving or trying to stop it any more. 

He did not mind, not any more.

Feathers that show the future of time.

Red eyes.

Red spider lily.

He had asked for two more.

Emptiness hollowed him out, nothing but dreadful understanding.

He was going to capture those children.

Looking down at the first page he saw the boy, the same boy in the woods, the same boy that was running and crying with tears running down his cheeks. 

_“Why daddy?”_

He looked at the second page, one girl of black hair and shiny multicolor eyes, the same girl he saw being carried in Karen’s arms, the same girl she apologized towards. 

_“I’m sorry. You will have someone with you just like the rest of us.”_

Pryce did nothing, did nothing but stare. Finally with blank eyes he spoke. 

”I don't know who you are…”

**_Ruby Kasumi._ **

**_Platinum Berli_ _tz_. **

“Or the company that you will be together with soon…” 

~~...like the rest of us…~~

“But you are the change of this future…”

Two far off figures in the dark. 

“My children.”

~{*}~  
  


_Tick tock tick_

_Clock strikes 1 o'clock_

_One step start_

_One future in mind_

_Many paths that course through_

_A start of it all_

_A finish for one_

_Tick tock tick_


End file.
